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Nonprofit Overview

Mission: Feeding South Florida’s mission is to end hunger by providing immediate access to nutritious food, leading hunger and poverty advocacy efforts, and transforming lives through innovative programming and education.

Programs: Feeding south florida's mission is to end hunger in south florida by providing immediate access to nutritious food, leading hunger and poverty advocacy efforts, and transforming lives through innovative programming and education.

Community Stories

22 Stories from Volunteers, Donors & Supporters

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Feeding South Florida is a wonderful place! After Hurricane Irma hit South Florida, the warehouse was out of power yet the staff has been working diligently to serve the community and meet their needs.

The staff and volunteers are responsive, friendly, and truly care about one another and helping those who need it most. Speaking from experience I currently work at Feeding South Florida and truly feel like I am helping make a difference in our communities from Palm Beach all the way down to the keys, especially now after the hurricane and working in disaster relief mode. The organization and staff does everything that they can to ensure food is on the table for families and individuals in South Florida.

Should you decide to donate your time, donations, and/or funds, I can ensure you they will be utilized correctly and will greatly help impact the lives of others in a positive and life changing way!

Thank you all for the support, and thanks to Feeding South Florida for changing lives! I am so glad to be a part of this great organization.

After our experience with Houston Food Bank, my company wanted to see how we could support Florida. We came across Feeding South Florida and the wonderful work they're doing to help hurricane victims. Their staff was friendly, responsive, and appreciative of our donation.

I visited this food bank recently, and the facility was a disaster. The food was on the floor, and you could see critters all over the place. This is been happening for years. I simply do not understand how people still donate to this place.

There are no words to describe the horror of spoiled food and garbage everywhere in that place. When I think of the families who are receiving these items I just hoped they are not desperate enough to eat them. This food bank gets smaller every time I go there. I guess they do not have enough money to pay their bills.

I dedicate time and resources to different non-profits, and this place is not getting anything from me. I tried to volunteer and I was received with rudeness, the place was dirty and there was nothing prepared for volunteers to do. I guess it was because there was no food to sort.

My company selected Feeding South Florida for our Day of Service event. I didn't know what to expect as I was not familiar with the organization. The facility is a huge warehouse right of 95 and Hallandale, we were introduced to their mission by a very passionate and lively staff member, she was excellent at giving us a quick summery of the organization and providing us with overall instructions of what we would be doing for the day.

FSF collects unwanted food from all types of grocery chains, farmers markets, and any other place that throws away expired, damaged or unwanted food. FSF picks up all this food and takes it back to this warehouse where the food and other random donations are sorted. They explained to us that although the food containers have an expiration date the food is actually safe for consumption for a bit longer depending on what it is, they gave us instructions and there are large charts in the sorting area for reference. It is amazing how much food is still good and safe yet it is considered bad or if the outside packaging is damaged it is no good for the store, which actually turns out to be good for FSF since they collect, sort and donate this food to families in need. It was truly a wakening call to see how much waste we have, and I am so glad for organizations like FSF who save this food and other goods to donate to those in need.

If you are ever looking to volunteer, or need community service hours for school please consider FSF, this is a wonderful organization who really cares about people who need help. They actually make it a fun experience paying loud music and making sure everyone is involved. I was very proud of my company for our day of service, in a few hours we sorted 49K pounds of food which will provide 109K meals to people in need. So as they told us, every bit helps, they are a non-profit organization and they rely heavily on volunteers.

It is the filthiest place I have ever seen. Some of the staff are wonderful, but the place is filthy!!! The CEO that has been working there for 3 years may have turned the financial health of the facility around, but the building is the most cluttered and filthiest non-profit I have ever seen. I would not even take my dog into the building and let him lay on the floors! don't know how people feel comfortable working there.

My husband and I recently participated in the summer hunger sort-a-thon and had a wonderful experience. The staff was friendly, energetic, and the community support was great to see. If you're looking for a fun and meaningful experience, then Feeding South Florida's volunteer program is the place to be!

I worked for Feeding South Florida for two years. I was excited to accept a position with an organization designed to provide such a basic need that's desperately lacking for so many. Unfortunately, I experienced the ugly side of the organization way more often than not. The administration, including the executive director and the director of development, lacked any knowledge of positive leadership or management abilities. This didn't just apply to managing employees, but also the funds and donated foods entrusted to them by the community. Food would go to waste and grant reports were falsified. These two employees are now gone, but according to my friends at the organization and posts here, the current administration has not improved the situation.

I was so relieved to turn in my notice to this organization - to get out of a dishonest situation and move on to work for a reputable organization. I now volunteer with another food bank, and the difference in operations and fund management is night and day. Feeding America seems to let a lot of the issues slide, so my advice would be to donate your time/money to your local food pantry or soup kitchen. Do not support this organization.

I come for 3 hours on Saturdays to sort food. Sometimes I bring a group of track friends with me who love the opportunity to help and see that they can easily get food to people. We inspect and sort the food so it can go out safely to people in need. The staff is friendly and truly caring! A great place to make a difference! And definitely go if you need volunteer hours for school!

The bottom line with regards to all of these negative reviews is that the previous employees, donors and volunteers who wrote them would not be so upset if they DIDN'T CARE SO MUCH. They are not trying to drag anyone through the mud, they are not trying to spread lies, they are trying to get the public and Feeding America to wake up!! Otherwise all of the bad things that are going on there would just be swept under the rug and the bad behavior would continue.

If they didn't care about the food bank they would just go on their merry way and forget about the place.....this shows just how many good people have left FSF over the past 2 years. If they didn't care, they wouldn't be writing letters to Feeding America, the USDA, The Children's Trust, and anyone who will listen for that matter.

Why can't the current FSF board see this? Because only a SLIVER of the original board members are still involved. The smart ones did not wish to be associated with that sinking ship. I have no doubt that the new people who have been coerced onto the board are being filled with lies by current "management" and have no idea what has really transpired there.

What a shame...such a beautiful organization has become a disgraceful entity plagued with vices and problems. A great number of organizations left the food bank looking for food that the food bank no longer has. I understand that they do not keep inventories of what they distribute; therefore, they have no idea of the magnitude of their problem. They are in denial and when they tried to fix it it will be too late.

The other day I went to Feeding South Florida to drop off a food donation with my daughter and I was offered to be taken on a tour by Ms. Vatske, she was a delight to talk too. She really knew what she was talking about from the amount of individuals served in the area, to all the different programs Feeding South Florida had to offer. When I went for the tour the facility was in immaculate condition. The employees were friendly, courteous and you can tell that everyone I spoke to there had a sense of passion for the organization. After meeting with everyone it quickly made me realize that the organization is on the right track for success.

When I was looking to "give back" this holiday season, I did some research to find the most effective and reputable organization combating hunger in my area. Time and time again, I kept hearing about the great work being done by Feeding South Florida. After visiting and spending time sorting food, I learned that they distribute food directly to low-income people at community sites through a mobile pantry and also provide food to many shelters and other nonprofits serving the ill, needy, and children. I am proud to have spent my afternoon working hands on to help fight hunger with this respected community organization.

I am the Chairman of the Board of Directors for Feeding South Florida, and I have volunteered with this organization since 1999. I have never been more proud or committed to the organization, and the mission we serve, than I am today.

Feeding South Florida has gone through difficult changes with the downturn of the economy; the decrease in government funding; the restructuring of logistics and operations to receive and distribute fresh produce; and the ever increasing demand in the community. We have done that with the support of the Board, our donors, our community leaders, Feeding America, and the amazing staff we have. Under the leadership of our CEO and his team, we have increased meals distributed in our community (with the help of our wonderful partner agencies,) increased awareness of hunger, donors, volunteers, and corporate giving.

I have been involved in numerous non-profits over my 25 year career in the Miami community, and my work at Feeding South Florida remains the most rewarding experience I have had in my life. I shall continue to serve the organization, donate time, money, and resources. I recommend that others do so as well.

I just started volunteering at Feeding South Florida and before volunteering I did not realize the need for food in the South Florida community. The staff was very helpful from the minute you walked in the door to the minute you left the facility. It is great to volunteer in an organization that knows what they are doing, clean and have such passion to feed the South Florida community. I love to go there and see the smiling faces of the employees and of the other volunteers. The other volunteers that go there are very enthusiastic and energetic and the staff shares the same energy and they really explain to you the process of sorting the food, it truly is an organized operation.

I first heard about Feeding South Florida back when it was Daily Bread Food Bank. The organization has a tremendous mission, but it seemed to need a boost. I kept up with the news and events, but never felt fully engaged. I received an email from their Vice President, Sari Vatske a few days ago. She asked me to visit their warehouse and take a tour. I was highly impressed with the entire operation...WOW!
I was introduced to the President, Paco who has over a decade of experience in the field. He was very knowledgeable and was able to answer all my questions. After visiting, I am very comfortable knowing where my investment into the community is going.
If you're looking for an organization that will make you feel like you've made a difference, whether you've volunteered, donated food or donated money, visit Feeding South Florida; the building is massive and the staff is smiling and friendly.